Five persons have been arrested in Lagos for allegedly burgling a rice shop along the Imota-Agbowa road, Ikorodu.

Lagos State police command alleged that the suspects broke into the shop on December 15, 2018 at about 2am and carted away bags of 50kg bags of rice worth over N5 million.

The police said a white Mazda bus, many bags of rice and a cut-to-size locally made double-barrel gun with six live cartridges were recovered from the suspects.

Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who confirmed the arrest, said his men had received a piece of information on the day of the incident that some armed men operating in a Mazda bus had been sighted burgling the rice shop along the Imota-Agbowa road, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Edgal said acting on the information, a combined team of police operatives from the Igbogbo police station and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikorodu base, swiftly mobilized to the scene.

He said on sighting the operatives, the suspects opened fire on them, to which the policemen responded.

The police chief said, “The firing eventually ceased when one of the robbers surrendered to the police. He was immediately searched and a cut-to-size locally made double-barrel gun with six live cartridges was recovered from him.

“During interrogation, the arrested suspect gave his name as Yusuf Nasiru, and also gave details of his fleeing gang members. The information given by the suspect was worked on, leading to the arrest of the rest of the gang from various locations in Lagos and subsequent recovery of their operational vehicle, a Mazda bus registration number KRD 783 XW from the leader of the gang, one Adeneye Ayomide alias Dublin, 39, at Mowe, Ogun State.

“The names of other gang members arrested are Tope Faleye, alias Eniba, 25; Dare Rasaq, 28, and Oshibajo Gbenga, 21. Investigation is ongoing.”